Airport to hike passenger fee to help pay for capital improvements

A drop in passenger numbers and the needs stemming from a number of planned capital investments are pushing the Ottawa airport to raise the fees it charges to passengers.

Ottawa Airport / travel

By Jacob Serebrin

The Ottawa International Airport Authority’s airport improvement fee will increase from $20 to $23 on March 1, according to Krista Kealey, a spokeswoman for the organization. This will be the first increase since 2011.

According to Ms. Kealey, the airport has a “very intensive” capital improvement plan, including the reconstruction of a 10,000-foot runway scheduled to take place over the summer.

“It’s not a decision that’s made lightly,” she said.

The fee remains “among the lowest in the country for a tier one airport,” she said.

The fee is only used to fund improvements to the airport, according to Ms. Kealey.